Spontaneous Combustion
by Johnny Devlyn
Summary: What happens when Josh finds out Kate went to LA with another man? Rated T for language at the moment.


**Author's Note: This story is not what I usually write, there's not much fluff (yet). It's all angsty and dramatic and was basically my way of getting rid of Josh (without killing him!) after the LA ep. Some of the characters may act a little OOC, but I hope it's at least plausible. The tentative title was Spontaneous Combustion when I was writing it, and then Kate actually said those words in the new ep last night, so I just **_**had**_** to post this. Plus, I've only got **_**five **_**stories on fanfiction, but I write a **_**lot **_**more than that, so I'm trying to post more. I should also warn, I've been watching Firefly lately, so I may have taken a few words from there, and Castle says some things that were thrown in just to amuse me. Don't worry, I didn't go overboard with it, just one or two little things. :-D (oh, yeah, language warning: Castle cusses. Oooo…)**

Kate glanced at the caller ID and took a shuddering breath. She could ignore it, let it go to voicemail, but she _knew_ he'd just keep calling until she answered. So she hit the button, raised the phone to her ear and said resignedly, "What, Castle?"

"How'd you know it was me?" he asked, surprised.

"Caller ID. Most phones have it now," she replied dryly and then tried to sniffle without Castle hearing it.

"Are you okay?" he suddenly asked. Obviously her sniffle hadn't been covert enough.

_How does he always know?_ She wondered. He always seemed to be there when she needed... _some_one. "I'm fine, Castle," she lied, and Rick knew it when she sniffled again.

He _was_ impressed that her voice sounded so smooth and normal, even though he just _knew_ she'd been crying. "Are you sure?"

Kate rolled her eyes, realized Rick couldn't actually see her and then asked- _without_ her usual high levels of annoyance- "What do you want, Castle?"

"Um..." he muttered and then was silent for a moment. How was he supposed to tell her he'd called simply because he'd had the feeling she might need someone to talk to? "You know how sometimes I just _know_ when Alexis needs a call from me?"

"Okay..." she prompted.

"Well, I just..." Rick sighed and then spit it out. "I just had this feeling you might need someone to talk to."

"And you thought that someone would be _you_?" she asked, though she _knew_ how mean she sounded as she said it. But she had no other outlet for her pain and anger, so poor Castle took the brunt of her chaotic emotions.

"I guess not," he replied. His tone was rather cool and now Kate felt guilty on top of everything else for snapping at a man who only wanted to know she was okay.

"Look, Castle, I'm sorry-"

"Don't be," he said, cutting her off. He wasn't quite as cold as he had been, but his usual warmth was still conspicuously absent. "But if you can convince me that you really are okay- without _sniveling_ this time- I'll let you go and stop bothering you tonight. And if you hang up on me, I'll just call back."

Kate chuckled humorlessly, knowing the threat was not at _all_ made in jest; that was the only reason she'd answered in the first place. "Fine Castle. No, I have not had a good night. Yes, I will be okay. Satisfied?" Kate needed to sniffle again, but knew Castle wouldn't miss it this time- not that he'd missed it any of the other times- so she brought the cuff of her sweater up and wiped her nose on it. Then grimaced at the sweater and determined to do laundry tonight. Or maybe tomorrow, she amended, unable to work up the appropriate level of enthusiasm tonight for chores.

"No, not really," Castle answered her sarcastic question. He sighed. "You sure you don't want to tell me what's wrong?"

"Rick," she said pathetically and the use of his first name stunned him into silence. "I really just don't want-" Emotion choked her words and she sniffled loudly. "I don't want to talk about it tonight. Please respect that."

"Alright Kate. But you need to talk to someone. Will you at least talk to Josh?" The suggestion nearly killed him. Rick wanted to be the one she went to when she was hurting. But _Josh_ was the one she'd chosen, so... Rick just wanted her to be happy and cared for. So he suggested she talk to a man who loved her. Before he could really dwell, Kate's tort reply cut off his mental musings.

"No," she snapped, finally working up that anger now. "I won't be talking to _Josh_ tonight." She had spoken before really thinking it through and to cover her little slip, she added impatiently, "I don't want to talk to _anyone_ tonight, okay Castle?"

But of course Castle picked up on the slip.

"What did he do?" Rick asked and the tone of his voice was almost violent in his command for information.

"It's none of your business, Castle," Kate snapped. She couldn't bring herself to lie to him when he sounded so concerned for her and tell him 'Josh didn't do anything.'

"It is SO my rutting business," Castle retorted, positively mutinous now. "If he hurt you, I swear, I'll-"

"Castle!" Kate practically yelled. "I'm okay now. I'm safe at home. And I've had a really shitty night. _Please_. Say goodnight now."

"Beckett," he began in protest, needing to know what had happened to the woman he-

"Goodnight, Castle," she said pointedly, uncompromising.

"Kate!" He began in protest and then sighed. Obviously, she wasn't going to humor him tonight but then, when did she ever? "Good night."

"Night, Castle. I'm turning my phone off now," She warned, though her tone was now warmer than she'd been the whole conversation.

"I know," He replied, a begrudging smile in his voice.

"Rick?" She added impulsively.

But he couldn't speak. She so rarely used his first name and her tone now, as well as the knowledge that something had happened to her tonight, constricted his throat so he simply waited silently.

"Thank you," She finally concluded.

Rick finally found his voice, though it was low with emotion. "Always," He murmured.

And the line went silent.

But Castle couldn't just leave it at that. He still had that feeling in his gut that had prompted him to call her in the first place and Rick had learned during his life never to ignore that feeling. He didn't get it often, but the last time he had, Alexis had been rushed to the emergency room. It was only a sprained ankle, but Rick had been thankful then and he was thankful now, that he was somehow able to tell when the people he loved were hurting.

So Rick grabbed his keys- debated silently with himself for a good five minutes whether or not he should bring his bullet proof vest, just in case Beckett took offense to his showing up at her door, but decided against the vest- and headed down to the Ferrari in the garage.

Kate settled deep into the corner of her couch, curled up pathetically, and finally let the tears begin to fall. She normally didn't allow herself to give in to tears- otherwise she might start bawling every time she thought of her mother- but for once, the tears weren't about Johanna.

Well, that wasn't entirely true. Part of her was mourning all over again the absence of the one person she felt she could have talked to at that moment. But the tears now were over yet another failed romance.

_Failed, hell,_ Kate thought bitterly. _I wish it had simply _failed_. But no. We had to spontaneously combust._

Wrapping her arms around her legs, she put her head down on her knees and prepared for the real waterworks.

"Knock! Knock! Knock!" Her front door suddenly 'spoke.'

Kate stared in shock for a moment when the knocking started up again, more insistently.

_That better not be who I think it is!_ She thought angrily, glaring at the door. She had expected he would come after her, but she didn't think it would be so soon.

Kate quickly scrubbed at the tears on her face, then got up to answer the door.

The knocking started again and Kate yanked the door open, snapping as she did, "Josh!"

But the sight of the man standing there had her stumbling back in surprise. "Castle!" Realizing who it was, Kate quickly turned her face away from him and stared at the floor just inside her apartment. "What the hell are you doing here, Castle?" She asked the doorjamb angrily.

"What happened to your face?" He asked instead of answering her.

Kate rolled her eyes mockingly- keeping her face turned away- as she retorted, "I thought _you_ of all people would know what it looks like when a woman cries." She let him interpret that however he liked, though Kate had meant to reference the fact that he lived in a house full of women (who were bound to cry from time to time).

He didn't even give her a humoring laugh. He stepped toward her, put his hand on her chin and forced her to look at him.

"What _happened _to your _face_," he repeated, his eyes on the ugly cut that split a corner of her usually perfect lower lip.

Kate jerked her face out of his grasp and moved away from him. She didn't bother trying to hide the bust lip anymore- he'd already seen it. "It's none of your business, Castle," she told him again. There was no way she'd minimize what _had_ happened by denying it or lying about it, but Damn it! It was none of Castle's business!

"Who did that to you?" He demanded.

"I already told you, Castle, it's-"

"Someone hurt you, Kate," he practically shouted at her, then realized he wasn't helping the situation at all by yelling at Kate. He took a calming breath and informed her, "I'm making it my business. So tell me who."

There were too many emotions for her. _How much should one person be expected to endure in one day?_ Kate wondered. She simply stared at Rick's face, enraged on her behalf, and tears welled in her eyes. She had no intention of arguing with him anymore and she sure as hell wasn't going to tell him what happened, so she stared up at him and willed the tears not to fall while he was still staring at her.

Finally, Castle _had_ to ask. "Was it Josh?"

Again, no way in hell was she answering _that _question, but when she averted her gaze- reluctant to look at him anymore- Castle _knew_.

"I'll fucking kill him," Castle muttered, the sudden rage making his voice nearly inaudible. He promptly turned and began stalking toward the elevators.

"Castle!" she called after him, and when he ignored her- just kept stalking toward the exit- she hurried after him. She grabbed his jacket sleeve, but he gently extricated himself from her grasp and tried to continue on. "What are you doing?" She snapped.

"I'm gonna go kill the bastard who hit you," he bit out.

"I never said he hit me!" Kate retorted, mostly to get his attention and stop him leaving.

And it worked- to an extent. Rick suddenly turned on her and glared her down. "You're going to deny it?"

"I didn't say that, either," She quickly backtracked. She suddenly thought how impressive Castle looked all riled up like he was. She'd never seen him so angry before and she hoped that anger was never directed at her again.

Realizing _who_ he was currently glaring at, Rick's face softened and he tried to sound normal when he asked, "Tell me what happened then."

Kate deflated a bit at that, but she nodded. "Come inside, first. I'm not gonna talk out here."

Rick frowned, but he followed her inside. Sure enough, Kate locked the door behind them, making any future hasty exits impossible and Castle couldn't guarantee he wasn't going to hunt down the bastard who'd laid a hand on HIS... _partner_, for lack of a more satisfying word.

They moved further into her apartment and Kate asked, "Do you what something to drink?"

"No, thank you. Now stop procrastinating and tell me what happened," He instructed her, making an effort to keep his tone mild.

But Kate still turned to glare at him. "I don't think I like 'Bossy Castle' very much," She informed him.

"And I don't like seeing the evidence on my partner's usually perfect face that someone's been hitting her!" He snapped in reply, the compliment lost somewhat in Rick's livid tone.

Kate sighed heavily and moved to sit on the couch. "It was kind of my fault to begin with," she told him.

She should have known better.

"Katherine Beckett!" He began to yell in outrage. "It was _not_-"

"Castle!" She snapped, though she was surprised he even heard her over all the noise he was making. "Sit down and shut up or I _won't_ tell you anything."

Rick scrubbed his hands over his face in an effort to distract himself. Then he sighed and moved to sit beside Kate on the couch. He couldn't look at her right now, because the sight of her busted lip physically hurt him. "What happened?" He asked quietly.

"Josh and I were arguing-"

"What were you arguing about?"

"It doesn't matter what we were arguing about," Kate replied tersely. More calmly she continued, "It was an argument we'd had before. He called me a name and I took offense. So I punched him." she sniffled and sounded ashamed of herself. "I knew better than to hit him, but no one's ever called me... _that_ before. So I punched him. And he slapped me back." Kate drew her knees up onto the couch and hugged them.

She sounded so pathetic, so sad that Castle didn't think much about what he did- or whether or not he should- he just put his arms around Kate's shoulders and pulled her into his chest. He put his hand on her hair and instead of pushing him away or feeling uncomfortable, Kate reveled in the comfort he offered.

"What did he call you?" Castle asked softly after a long moment of silence.

"It doesn't matter," Kate replied, the tears in her voice now.

"Tell me."

Kate turned her head and pressed her face into Castle's chest. She was silent so long, Castle didn't think she was going to answer. But finally, Kate mumbled, "He called me a whore."

Rick just sat in stunned silence as he absorbed _that _information. "A whore?" He finally asked in disbelief. "I've _never_ met _anyone_ less... whore-like. Why would he even suggest that?"

"I was going to tell him, but I didn't get a chance to, that you and I had gone to LA together. When he found out, he thought I was keeping it from him. He suggested that since you had paid for my room and flight, I repaid you by..." Kate trailed off, sure that Castle understood what she was hinting at.

"But _nothing_ happened," He protested in her defense.

Resignedly, she argued, "How would _you_ feel if _your_ girlfriend spent a week in a far off city with another man?" She sighed and concluded, "It doesn't matter that nothing happened, it was inappropriate for me to share a hotel room with you. Especially since I didn't even tell him I was leaving town with you in the first place." She sniffed and added sadly, "But he was away again, saving the world and I didn't want to bother him with something so trivial. I thought I'd just tell him when we both got back."

Rick knew he'd be crossing a line if he did what he really wanted to do just then and pressed his lips to her hair in a comforting kiss. So he did the next best thing and leaned his cheek against the top of her head. "He still had no right to call you names," Rick declared.

"I know," She said in a monotone. "That's why I punched him. Even though I knew better."

Rick wound both arms around her slim shoulders and held her close. "I don't care what you did to him, _nothing_ gives a man the right to hit a woman."

"I don't disagree with you, Castle," She assured. "But according to the laws I live by as a cop, I'm at fault. I swung the first punch." She sounded so ashamed that she'd let her anger get the better of her and she'd actually hit someone.

"Stop being so '_fair_,' Kate!" Rick groused. She was trying to explain away- to minimize- what had happened, or at least assign blame where _she_ felt it was due. But Rick just wanted to kill the bastard who hit her. "He did a shitty thing. Let's just leave it at that."

Kate nodded but remained quiet. It felt so good to be held like this, and for once Rick wasn't turning it into a sex joke. Her arms moved silently around his waist and she just held onto him for a long time. She didn't even notice when, but Castle began stroking her hair softly and lulling her closer to sleep.

"I'm glad you came over, Rick," Kate mumbled sleepily, too exhausted- emotionally and physically- to closely monitor her words like she usually did around Castle.

Rick couldn't help but notice the way she said his first name again, voice low in her grogginess. "I'm sorry you're hurting, Kate," He murmured in reply.

"I feel pretty good right now," she assured, and that was how Rick knew this day had affected her deeply. She was so exhausted, she was admitting things he _knew_ she'd rather keep to herself, especially where Castle was concerned.

So he smiled and told her, "Alexis always did say I give the best comfort-hugs."

"She was right."

"I make a real good pillow, too," He informed her. "So feel free to use me as such if you find yourself drifting off to sleep."

Kate sighed. "I should probably go to bed," she admitted grudgingly. "And you should probably-"

Kate's words suddenly broke off when the door started making noises again. Both people on the couch froze in shock before Kate began scrambling guiltily out of Rick's embrace. She quickly moved to the door as quiet knocking sounded again. And even though he knew she wouldn't want him to, Rick stood also and followed her to the door, standing menacingly behind her as the portal swung open.

Kate, Rick and Josh all looked equally surprised by what that open door had revealed. Castle did note with no little satisfaction that a large purple welt was forming along the other man's jaw line.

Kate was the first to recover- because like she'd assumed earlier, she knew Josh would come for her eventually. She said, "What are you doing here, Josh?" (Again, with some satisfaction, Rick idly noted that he wasn't the only one Kate greeted with that particular question.)

Staring angrily at Castle instead of the woman addressing him, Josh shook his head and said, "I should have known. I came over here to apologize, but I should have known you'd go running-"

But they never found out where Josh assumed Kate would go running, because Castle stepped toward him, shouldering past Kate, and hauled off and punched him. Josh immediately crumpled to the floor, unconscious, at Kate's feet.

"Castle!" She cried, grabbing his arm and hauling him back into her apartment. When he was out of the way, Kate dropped to her knees over the fallen man and began tapping his face gently in an attempt to wake him.

"You're gonna help that bastard after what he did to you?" Castle practically yelled incredulously.

Kate didn't even bother to spare him a glare as she continued her efforts to wake Josh. "Castle," she snapped angrily. "Go get me some ice."

"I'm not helping that-"

"Ice!" she snapped, finally turning to glare up at him. "Now. Or I will arrest you for assault."

"Aren't you going to arrest him too?"

"For what? Running into your fist?"

"Kate-"

"No! Stop it, Castle." She pointed him away, glaring at him. "Get me that ice."

He gave her a mutinous look but finally turned to do as she said. When Rick returned with an ice tray and a hand towel, Kate had Josh stretched out more comfortably on the floor of her hallway, his head on her lap.

"I can't believe you're actually helping him," Rick muttered. He dropped the towel and then the ice tray noisily onto the floor, but within Kate's reach so as not to make more work for her.

"I wouldn't have to if you hadn't rendered it necessary." Kate shook her head as she placed the ice wrapped in a towel to Josh's quickly darkening cheekbone. "Why the hell would you do that, Castle?"

"Only a fucking coward hits a girl," He muttered sullenly. "He deserved it." Then Rick leaned against the open door jamb and took to scowling down at the two on the floor.

"I'm not a little girl, Castle. I'm a woman. And a highly trained one at that. I can take care of myself."

"You wouldn't understand," he said, continuing to mutter and Kate thought his expression and attitude right now were decidedly adolescent. "You're a girl," he concluded, as if that explained why she would never get it. When she sighed in annoyance and glared up at him, Rick amended begrudgingly, "You're a _woman_."

She shook her head at him as Josh finally began to stir. He grimaced in pain, instinctively shifting his head away from the cold ice on his sore face, but Kate kept it on him. She looked back up and commanded, "Castle, go inside and close the door."

"Like hell I will!" He replied tersely and folded his arms for emphasis.

Kate knew it wouldn't help to argue, so she snapped, "Then stay there and shut up. And don't do anything else stupid."

Rick rolled his eyes in a move worthy of Detective Beckett, but said nothing more.

And Kate turned her attention back down to the man draped across her lap. His handsome face was now bruising in two places- jaw line and cheekbone- but Kate found that as she looked at him, she felt... nothing. Just hours ago, she'd looked at him and felt what she thought was love, but she looked at him now and felt absolutely nothing. Not anger, or hatred. Not love or even regret. Just... nothing.

What was wrong with her that she could fall out of love so quickly with a man she thought she cared deeply for just hours ago?

Before she could ponder _that_ question, Josh was groaning and grimacing in pain.

"What the hell..." He mumbled, finally blinking his eyes open. And looked up to find Kate's face just inches from his. He stared blearily at her for a long minute and asked, "Does this mean you forgive me?" From somewhere to his right, someone snorted rudely, but he didn't bother to look away from Kate to see who it was.

"I forgive you," Kate assured him.

"Really?" Josh smiled (and then grimaced in pain) at the same time Castle snapped, "What?"

Kate sighed angrily, threw an annoyed frown at Castle, then turned back to Josh. "Don't misunderstand me, Josh. We're through. But I forgive you. And I truly hope that you can forgive me for hitting you."

The only part of his face he could move without pain was his forehead, so his frown at the moment pretty much only consisted of drawn-together eyebrows. But frown he did and he finally moved to sit up, taking the ice from Kate to keep it pressed to his face. He moved to lean against the wall facing her front door, but he kept his eyes on Kate.

"I make _one_ mistake and you're going to throw away everything we have? For _him?_" Josh didn't even gesture toward Castle- it was unnecessary, redundant even, as the man stood over them glowering at Josh.

"No, not for anyone," Kate asserted. "But you hit me and I won't live with a man who could hit me."

"I'm sorry I did that. And I'm sorry for what I called you. But-"

"A whore, Josh," Castle spoke up, cutting him off. "You called her a whore." For some reason, he felt the need to have Josh acknowledge that fact, to have the word out there for all of them to face what he'd accused Kate of being.

But Josh ignored the other man and only addressed Kate. "I said I'm sorry. You said you forgive me. Can't we just try to move past this now?"

"I did say that," Kate agreed calmly. "But this isn't something we can move past. You snoring, we could move past. My partnership with Castle, we could have moved past. But you hit me and that's not something we can ever move past."

"But you hit me first," He argued desperately.

"I know, and you can't begin to know how ashamed of myself I am for doing that," she agreed. "But I should think that isn't something you could move past either." She was surprised to find how easy it was to deny him, now that she'd determined she didn't love him anymore. But as she watched him- even glanced over at Castle for a split second, wanting to compare but denying herself the permission to do so- Kate had to wonder _Did I ever?_

Josh sighed, leaned his head back against the wall and closed his eyes. "I hate this," He finally concluded, his voice quiet.

"Me too," Kate agreed.

"I really am sorry."

Kate nodded sadly. "Me too."

Josh sighed deeply and finally moved to stand up.

"Do you need a ride somewhere?" Kate asked as she stood as well and took the towel full of ice he handed to her.

"No. Thank you. I've got the bike."

Up to that moment, Castle had been leaning against the door jamb, scowling at Josh, but as soon as Dr. Motorcycle Boy reached out for Kate, Rick stood up straight, ready to punch the guy again if it seemed like Josh needed it.

But Josh just pulled Kate into an embrace, kissed her hair tenderly- the same way Castle had wanted to earlier, but was not allowed to do because Kate wasn't his- and murmured, "Goodbye Kate. I love you." He squeezed her tighter and added- with no little regret in his voice- "I'm so sorry."

He abruptly released her and walked away.

Kate stood stupidly in the hallway for a long time after he left, not really looking at anything in particular, just stunned and drained.

When Castle eventually moved- turning to allow her space to walk past him into her own apartment- Kate blinked and finally turned to go inside.

She left the ice tray in the hall, so Castle retrieved it before closing and locking her door. When she sat on the couch again, setting the ice filled hand towel on the coffee table, Castle retrieved that too and took the items back to her kitchen.

But without those things, he was lost. _What do I do now?_ He wondered.

But Kate didn't look in any condition to tell him. So he moved hesitantly and sat next to her on the couch. She just stared straight ahead.

"Kate?" Rick asked quietly, almost as if the sound of his voice might break her. "I need you to tell me if you want me to go." He waited for a reply but none came. So he asked, "Or do you want me to stay?"

Kate finally turned her head to look at him, and Rick was surprised to see that she _wasn't_ crying. She wasn't speaking either though; she just nodded her head vaguely, not necessarily in response to Castle's question.

Momentarily confused- was she nodding 'yes, leave,' or 'yes, stay?' Rick wondered- it all became clear when she shifted closer to him and leaned into his shoulder. His arms immediately wrapped around her and held her close. But Kate kept leaning. Eventually Castle realized what she wanted and he laid back on the couch, stretching his body out alongside hers.

Needless to say, Castle was surprised. But when Kate wrapped her arms around his middle and held on to him desperately, Castle was downright shocked.

"I'll be fine tomorrow," Kate told him, her voice tremulous. She wanted him to understand, afraid she appeared needy or weak at the moment. "But tonight, I just need..." She hiccupped then, trying to hold back the tears. "I want-"

"Shh," Rick murmured. His hand lifted to stroke her hair like he had earlier. "Anything you need, I'll give you," he assured her quietly. Even as he worried that he was saying too much, Rick added, "Anything I have is yours."

Rick could feel her tears wetting his shirt, but he continued stroking her hair, her back, and holding onto her with his free hand as hard as she held onto him. And he let her cry for a while as he tried to soothe her.

"Try to sleep now, Katie," He eventually murmured when the sobs slowed.

"I'm sorry, Castle," she said, her voice thick.

Rick finally did kiss the top of her head and he told her, "Don't ever apologize to me for having feelings, Kate." And though he knew it would probably fall flat, Rick made a joke. "But don't worry, I won't tell the guys." Rick smiled when it felt like that joke might have actually earned him a pity-grin. "Sleep now," he told her and Kate nodded her head.

Kate eventually drifted to sleep tucked into the warm circle of Castle's arms.

**Hope you liked it… even if it's kinda sad… (If anyone **_**does**_** like it, I'll do a follow up chapter where things get more fluffy. If **_**no one**_ **likes it, I'll just let this one die. But that means you have to review… ;-))**


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